


What Is Science Anyway

by skinman



Category: The X-Files
Genre: AU, Children, Kid Fic, Other, School, Science Fair
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-02
Updated: 2015-03-02
Packaged: 2018-03-15 22:30:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3464438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skinman/pseuds/skinman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU in which Mulder and Scully meet as children at the school Science Fair. Dana Scully's little friend Brian catches Fox Mulder's eye.</p><p> </p><p>'Scully snorted at that, “Psychology doesn't count, Mulder.”</p><p>Mulder recoiled, “And just when I thought we could be friends, Scully…”'</p>
            </blockquote>





	What Is Science Anyway

A 10 year old Dana Scully shifted her sneaker-clad feet, listening out for the soft _‘scratch scratch’_ of the sole of her shoe against the worn, dusty wooden floor of the old school gym. She could only faintly hear the sound over the ambient noise of teachers and parents discussing whatever it was that teachers and parents discussed. The occasional yell of a younger child, who’d be dragged along to witness their older sibling mumble through their presentation, echoed out across the space.

Dana’s mother, Maggie Scully, was about 5 meters away, smiling gracefully and laughing at Dana’s science teacher’s quirky jokes, and animated demeanour.

Speaking with his hands, the young, sandy-haired, Mr Rush enthused about little Dana Scully, and about how he had, “never taught a child so passionate” and how he hoped Dana didn’t forget him when she was a famous scientist.

Maggie, Dana’s mother, was completely engaged with every word he said, glowing with hungry pride.

After a quick glance around the room; spotting no less than 3 papier mache volcanos, Dana directed her attention back to her own science project. She bent her knees a little and tilted her head so she could look into the little plastic box easier. It was set on a plastic, portable-type table, of which there were about 30 spread throughout the room. The box had a plastic blue lid, dotted with holes that ventilated the container. Brian the little white mouse pressed his little pink feet up against the side closest to her, just a couple of inches from the tip of her freckled nose. Brian’s own small quivering nose was busy exploring one top corner. He was oblivious to the fact he was about to give the biggest and most important performance of his tiny life.

“What’s it’s name?” A voice asked, followed by the crisp crunching sound of teeth passing through a ripe apple.

Dana Scully turned her head to regard the boy who was sat precariously on the edge of the table to her immediate right. She stood up straight, “Brian.”

The boy nodded nonchalantly, “Cool.” He looked about 12, a bit older than her, and was at the age where his face was just about to lose its childish roundness. The short, thick brown hair on his head desperately needed a cut, and probably a comb too. His mustard coloured sweater was a little too big for him, and the knees of his pale blue jeans were faded and scuffed down to a white. He lifted the half-eaten, speckled red apple in his hand to his lips and took another huge bite. His expression stayed that of contented nonchalance, though his eyes held a certain intensity that unnerved Dana a little.

She looked him up and down, “What’s yours?”

He paused for a second, “Mulder.”

Dana Scully frowned skeptically, leaning to her left a bit so she could read the name tag stuck to the front of his table. _‘Fox Mulder’_

She raised an eyebrow, “That’s your surname.”

Mulder shrugged his shoulders and puffed out his cheeks; he was obviously unwilling to explain himself further.

“Okay,” She decided, “then I'm Scully.”

He opened his mouth to speak, closed it, then opened it again, “Why?”

“So we’re equal.”

Mulder looked like he was going to question her ten year old logic, but then stopped himself and nodded, “Okay.”

She studied him where he perched on the corner of the table, looking to his boot-clad feet, swinging opposing directions in a pendulum style. “If you’re not careful, Mulder, the table is going to flip over and you’ll hurt yourself.” Dana Scully stated knowingly.

The boy shrugged again, but heeded her words and hopped down onto the floor anyway. The opposite end of the table lifted up as his descending weight knocked against the end closest to Dana; it came back down to earth with a loud bang that caught the attention of the entire room, plunging it into silence, and leaving the table shuddering. Mulder himself was left standing with wide eyes focused on the floor and his shoulders up around his ears in shock. He refused to meet Scully’s eyes, and stared downward, as she bit her lip and tried not to laugh. After a couple of seconds the previous buzz of life that had filled the room returned as people returned to their conversations.

Mulder, who still refused to make eye contact, looked from the apple core in his hand to the bin in the corner of the gym, about 5 meters away. He squinted. Lifting his hand into an overarm position he flung what was left of the fruit in the direction of the bin. The apple core dropped into it without fail. The satisfying thud as the fruit hit the bottom of the bin emanated over to Mulder and Scully.

Mulder turned to say something to her, a huge, crooked grin forming on his face, “What do you th-”

He was cut off by a loud yell, “Fox!” A middle-aged teacher by the name of Miss Trent came marching up to him, wearing a navy blue ensemble and a disapproving expression. “What do you think you were doing?”

“Um…,” Mulder gulped, “putting... litter in the bin?”

“No, throwing food.” Miss Trent emphasised each word clearly, “What would your mother think?”

Mulder grumbled something under his breath.

Miss Trent then glanced down to where a tiny Dana Scully was glaring back up at her, “and I suggest you both get your projects ready. We’re going to be starting soon.” With that she marched off toward the front of the gym.

When she was gone Scully caught Mulder’s downcast eye and gave him a wide, reassuring smile.

The edges of his own mouth curled upward in response, “So, what’s your project? You taught Brian something?”

“Exactly!” Scully enthused. She reached down to the floor and heaved the modified wooden crate that had been resting by her feet off the floor with a huff, slamming it down on her table. Brian squeaked in protest from the confines of his little box. Thin planks of scrap wood had been neatly glued into the crate to create a tiny maze just big enough for a mouse.

“Nice.” Mulder said, coming closer and leaning over her tiny form to get a good look.

“And you?” Scully asked him, straightening the maze so it sat in the center of the table.

Mulder grabbed a laminated piece of paper off his desk and held it up for her to see. It was image. He smiled slyly, “What do you see, Scully?”

“It’s a vase.” She said, unsure. It seemed too obvious.

“Really…” Mulder pretended to be shocked, “because I see two faces!”

Dana Scully squinted at the picture. It could just as easily be interpreted as a vase as it could two faces. “That’s just a trick. How is this science?”

He put the image down on the edge of her table, “It’s Psychology!”

Scully snorted at that, “Psychology doesn’t count, Mulder.”

Mulder recoiled, “And just when I thought we could be friends, Scully…”

She rolled her eyes at him, folding her arms over her white shirt.

“You know what optical illusions teach us?”

Scully said nothing, knowing he was going to continue anyway.

Mulder snatched the image back off the table and grasped it tight, pointing to it with one hand, “They show us that there can be more than one answer. That we can’t always trust our first impressions, sometimes the truth is hidden” His hazel eyes glinted. “Optical illusions teach us to think outside the box. To look deeper. To ask ourselves more questions. Isn't that the basis of science?”

Scully looked up at him, arms still crossed at her chest. This Mulder kid was too smart for his own good, “That was actually quite impressive.”

A pleased expression broke through his previous intense gaze, “Impressive enough to win?” He teased her.

“Ok!” Miss Trent clapped her hands a few times loudly until there was silence, “Everyone to their tables. We’re about to start.”

Scully pushed up onto her the tips of her toes so she was level with Mulder’s ear, and whispered, “Maybe second.”

 

* * *

 

_Later that afternoon…_

“Oh, Dana, I’m so proud of you. Your father’s going to be so proud.” Maggie Scully crouched down in front of her daughter, stroking Dana’s cheek, her eyes glittering blue, “I’m going to go talk to Mr Rush quickly, I’ll be back in a second. Ok?”

Dana nodded enthusiastically.

Maggie pressed a firm, loving kiss to her daughter’s pink cheek, and secured the barrettes that were keeping the hair out of Dana's eyes one last time before leaving.

Scully only had to wait a few short moments before a hand appeared in front of her. She took it and shook it.

“You deserved it, Scully.” Mulder admitted graciously, letting her hand fall and pointing to the red 1st place ribbon pinned to her shirt.

“Thank you, Mulder.” She twisted a sheet of paper in her hands, continuing to fidget awkwardly at all of the attention she'd been subject to since her win. She and Brian been working toward this for months, and it had all paid off. Scully nodded to where the mouse was pattering around his box. “I was Brian really…”

“He’s pretty great isn’t he?” Mulder crouched down to observe the curious little rodent.

Scully had an idea, “Do you… want him?”

Mulder shot up straight, “You mean, as a pet?”

“Well, it’s just I’m not allowed to keep him. So my parents were going to give him to this kid on our street. Except I don’t like them very much…” She trailed off.

Mulder’s face lit up, “Okay!”

“Really?”

“Sure!”

Scully picked up the little clear box and handed it over to the gleeful 12 year old, who held it up to his eye line and greeted the mouse, “Hey, Brian. Looks like you’re coming home with me buddy.”

Scully shifted her feet nervously, “Um… maybe I could visit him sometimes?” She suggested.

Mulder grinned, pushing his hair back from his eyes so he could see her properly, “I’d love that!”

“Okay.”

“Dana!” Maggie’s call reached her a second later.

Dana turned to face her mother.

“Look who finally got here.” Her mother was stood beside a kind-faced man, with pale red hair, and eyes that crinkled at the edges when he smiled.

Mr Scully crouched down to catch Dana as she flung herself into his arms. “I heard you have something to show me, Starbuck?” Her father folded her into his chest for a few moments, as close as he could, before setting her back down.

Dana pointed to the red ribbon on her shirt, almost bouncing on the balls of her feet.

Her father’s gaze was warm. He knelt down on one leg in front of her, one arm resting over his knee. “What do you say we go get dinner? Just you, me, and your mom.”

Dana couldn’t remember when she had last had time alone with both her parents, “Yes!” She agreed immediately, throwing her arms around Bill Mulder's neck one more time.

Her mother rejoined them, carrying Brian’s maze in her arms, a worried look on her face as she peered around, scrutinizing the groups of people around them, “Dana, where’s Brian?”

“I found someone at school who wanted him, and they said I can visit him sometimes too.”

“That’s good of them...” Bill Scully shared a look with his wife, conveying that they could talk about this more later, it wasn't important right now.

As Maggie began to lead Dana out the emptying gym a new but familiar voice reached them, “Bye, Scully!”

Her parent’s looked round as Scully turned to wave, “See you, Mulder.”

“Who’s that then?” Mr Scully asked as he reached for her.

Dana accepted her father’s hand, looking back to where Mulder was preoccupied with presenting Brian to a little girl not much younger than Scully. The girl looked just like him, with dark hair, that was styled in two neat braids, and a wide, toothy, dimpled grin. Mulder carefully took Brian out his box, and held him so the girl could gently stroke him.

“My friend.” Scully answered.

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
